Grim Reaper - Carbonic Maceration Costa Rica

Finca Cola Roja is part of the Don Senel coffee project in Costa Rica, led by producer Senel Campos and his son Allan. The family’s coffee history dates back to 1968, when Senel’s father planted the first coffee trees on their original farm, Finca La Tobob a. Today, Senel and Allan continue this legacy through a growing production and processing operation focused on quality, innovation, and traceability.

Finca Cola Roja was developed as part of the expansion of the family’s coffee work, which took a major s in 2014 when Senel began processing his own coffee in response to low market prices. Starting with a small 300-kilogram lot processed using a modified hand pulper, the early success of these coffees encouraged reinvestment in infrastructure, equipment, and the acquisition of land with strong potential for high-quality coffee production. 

Located in a mountainous area shaped by two nearby canyons, Finca Cola Roja benefits from nutrient -rich soils, significant temperature variation, and a distinctive microclimate. These conditions support slow cherry maturation and contribute to the developm ent of complex cup profiles, making the farm well -suited for varieties such as SL28 and other carefully selected cultivars.

All coffees from Finca Cola Roja are processed at Don Senel Micromill, where Senel and Allan oversee every stage of production. Over time, the mill has evolved from its early, low-tech beginnings into a more structured and equipped facility, featuring raised drying beds, greenhouse drying areas, and modern processing tools. Fermentation and drying are carefully managed, including the use of measurements such as pH and Brix to better understand and guide flavor development.

Through Finca Cola Roja, the Campos family continues to build on a multi-generational coffee tradition, combining experience, incremental investment, and technical precision to produce expressive and traceable coffees. 

This coffee’s meticulous maceration process begins with cherry selection based on BRIX levels, ranging between 28 to 30, to ensure high sugar concentration. Once selected, the cherries are sent to the facility where further sorting removes any that don’t meet the required standards, maintaining the integrity for the maceration process.

The selected cherries are then placed on raised beds and turned every two hours over four days to remove excess moisture. Following this, they’re transferred to sealed tanks for carbonic maceration, where natural carbon dioxide is produced as microorganism s begin breaking down the sugars.

The coffee typically ferments for 4 to 6 days, with frequent pH checks targeting a range of 3.8 to 3.9. Once this pH is achieved, the coffee is returned to raised beds to dry slowly over 22 to 30 days, under controlled temperatures of 25 to 28°C to protect the bean’s integrity. After reaching a moisture content of 10%, the coffee is stored in a temperature -controlled warehouse set at 18°C to rest for approximately two months, allowing the beans to stabilize .